Moving Forward
by compy chompy
Summary: Meredith and Lexie bond, and Derek goes on a date. Takes place after episode 411.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer

I don't own Grey's Anatomy. They belong to ABC and who ever else. I know that isn't me. I just want to play with them. I promise I'll put them back right where I found them.

Chapter 1

He watched not fully understanding what was going on. It had to be a chick thing. They danced. He watched. They stopped, had more tequila. Then danced some more. No, he didn't mind the dancing at all, he enjoyed watching it, as long as they didn't ask him to join. It reminded him of his days when he use to go to the clubs with his dad, way back when. But this was better. The girls at the bar were always skanky groupies. These chicks were hot. And he was content in his spot on the couch, in his pajamas, with his feet up on the coffee table, beer in hand.

"Come on dance with us," Meredith smiled. She extend her hand towards him. He grinned, but shook his head no. "Come on, Alex dance with us."

"I don't dance. Unless you wanna do that other kinda dancing?" Alex smirked.

"That's okay dirty Uncle Sal."

"Huh? Who's Sal?" Lexie looked at both of them confused.

Alex and Meredith looked at her and just laughed. When the song finally came to an end, Meredith plopped onto the couch to Alex's right. Lexie shrugged, stumbled a bit, then finally settled into the couch to the left of Alex.

"No one.." Alex stood up and picked up his empty beer bottle. "I'm getting another one, do you guys want anything?"

"I'm good." Meredith picked the bottle of Jose Cuervo. The bottle had about a quarter left. Meredith just drank it straight down. "And she's a light weight. I think she's had enough."

"Hey. I'm not a lightweight. Just give me a minute. The room is moving..." Lexie tried to get up, but decided against it.

"See lightweight."

Alex got up and padded his way towards the kitchen, leaving the girls behind.

"Come on, lets keep dancing."

"In a minute, I'm just waiting for the room to stop spinning. I think it's almost done."

"It's okay. Never mind. We can do something else."

"Like what?" Lexie giggled.

"I think I have an etch-a-sketch in the basement. I can get it and you can show me your wonderful, excellent skills."

Lexie laughed. "Now your just mocking me. Mom always like my drawings. But I guess moms are suppose to be like that."

Meredith shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Mine hated everything I did."

Lexie who was giggling moments before, suddenly got quiet.

"Lexie are you okay?" Meredith cautiously asked.

"You never even go to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?"

"Goodbye to Mom."

"Lex, it's okay..."

"No it's not! Molly told me how mom talked about you. She told me that she really enjoyed your company and that dinner you guys had. Molly told me." Lexie rambled. She took a deep breath and continued. "She told me how Mom would buy you groceries and how she wanted to work up to cooking for you. And that she wanted you to come over for dinner with all of us. So we could be like a family. Then she had hiccups... It's not okay."

"It's okay. I was never good at family things. Besides, it's late. And you have to get some sleep. You have to get up in a few hours for your shift."

"It's not okay. We can go to the cemetery. Now. Remember, I did it with her cat. Let's go. Just for a bit. I promise we won't stay long. Please."

"Lexie..."

"I miss her. And you never got to say goodbye."

"Lexie."

"I did it with the cat. Just half an hour. I promise I won't ask you to do anything again."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah." Meredith got up and grabbed her coat from the coat rack by the door. "Alex. were going out for about an hour. Don't wait up!"

Alex barreled out of the kitchen and slammed his newly acquired beer on the table by the door.

"No, no, no..." Alex grabbed her wrist and wrestled the keys out of her other hand. He held them just out of her reach.. "You can't drive."

"I can drive. The state of Massachusetts says I can. And it's my car." Meredith opened her wallet and showed him her driver's license.

"You know that's not what I meant." Alex replied. He looked down at the license and laughed. "Hey, nice hair. You weren't kidding about the pink."

Meredith looked down at the picture and realized it was really old. She still had pink hair. At least Derek never saw that picture, and if she had her way no one else would. Meredith quickly snapped her wallet shut, making mental note to make time to go to the DMV, and change her picture and the address on her license to something more current.

"No. You two aren't leaving the house." Alex said firmly. "It's late, you guys are wasted."

"We have to go. She never got to say goodbye to Mom." Lexie cried.

"You can say goodbye tomorrow. Your mom will still be there..."

"You can't keep me hostage in my mom's house." Meredith stated. She poked Alex in the chest as she annunciated every single word to get her point across. "Even if you block the doors, you don't think I know how to get out of here?"

"Ow." Alex rubbed his chest, "Stop poking me." He turned to Lexie. "I'll drive, and you stop crying or we aren't going."

He had a couple of beers, was slightly buzzed but no where near as intoxicated as his two friends. "Okay?"

"Okay." Lexie smiled. She quickly gave Alex a peck on the cheek. "Thanks."

"But there's no crying, and no talking about feelings, and getting all etrogeny on me. Or I'm going to turn around and go home."

"Estrogeny?" Meredith questioned.

"Are you coming or not?" Alex asked.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer in chapter 1

Author's notes--

Special thanks to everyone who left a review, and even if you didn't leave a review, I thank you for taking the time to look at my very first fan fic. I would have updated sooner, but I accidentally erased the file and had to write the whole thing over again.

**Chapter 2**

Rose drummed her fingers along the steering wheel to the beat of the song that came through the speakers. She was surprised when Derek had abruptly asked her out to dinner, but graciously accepted. They had left the hospital together, taking her car, a beat up old sedan, and were driving on the interstate to their destination.

"So, where are we going?" Derek smiled from the passenger seat.

"It's a surprise," Rose teased.

Derek had let her pick the restaurant. It was his way of finding out what kind of food she liked. All he knew about her was that she was a scrub nurse, who ate a lot of candy, went to a party school, and was engaged a year ago, but broke it off. He didn't even know her last name. She on the other hand, seemed to know a lot about him, right down to the number of surgeries they performed together.

"We're here." Rose pulled the car into a roughly paved parking lot. Finding a space as closest to the entrance as she could, Rose shifted the car into park, and climbed out. Derek followed her lead.

"Which is where?" He asked.

"It's my favorite place. Come on." Rose grabbed Derek's hand and pulled him inside.

The restaurant was crowded, but not too crowded. There were people everywhere, but they were spread out in little groups, each talking amongst themselves. Derek and Rose made their way to the bar after giving their name to the hostess. He ordered a scotch, single malt, while she ordered something fruity.

Derek was on his second drink when the hostess finally called their names and led them to their to their seats in the middle of the restaurant.

Derek smiled, and took his seat across from her. He couldn't figure out what kind of restaurant it was from the menu. There was an interesting mix of foods on it, ranging from Italian, to Greek, to Chinese. He picked something simple and ordered another scotch, while Rose ordered what she wanted and a glass of wine.

"So..." Derek smiled again.

"So..." She repeated.

"You went to Santa Cruz?"

"Yup. And you called it a party school."

"I might have said that, but you did learn something there. Enough to save a man's life."

Rose shrugged. "I connected a wire. Or you connected a wire. I just showed you where it went."

"But you still saved a man's life. Without you showing me where to connect the wire, he would have died. Can't you just take the compliment."

"I'm just flawed that way."

"You've said that before. I think it's nice to know ones flaws and limitations and to admit them to one's self."

"So what are your flaws, Dr. Shepard?"

"Call me Derek. Were friends right. Friends call each other by their first names."

"Okay Derek, what are your flaws."

"Well, like most surgeons, I have no flaws," Derek joked. "I'm as perfect as perfect can be."

Rose laughed. "And conceded as can be?"

"No, you must be thinking of Mark," he retorted. 

They both laughed, but it led to an awkward silence.

Derek tapped his fork rhythmic against the table. He wracked his brain for something to talk about, anything, but he drew a complete blank. He never had this problem with Meredith.

"So... Do you like ferryboats?" He abruptly spoke.

"What?"

"Do you like ferryboats?" Derek repeated his question.

"I absolutely hate them. I get sea sick awfully fast and avoid riding them at all costs. I will drive to a bridge just to avoid them..."

Derek frowned. How can she not like ferryboats? They were safe, and reliable.

"I mean look what happen during the crash..."

"The crash from a couple months ago wasn't the ferry's fault, it was the container ships," Derek thought to himself. "It was the day I spent an hour breathing for her..." Derek pushed that thought far from his mind.

"Why do you ask?" Rose asked interrupting Derek's thoughts.

"Just wondering..." Derek forced himself to smile.

The waiter returned and set down the appropriate plates down in front of the two. Derek had a grilled chicken salad, while Rose had something fried, covered in cheese. Derek was now convinced that she never ate anything that resembled real healthy food. She on the other hand, didn't hesitate to dig right in.

"You have a healthy appetite," He teased.

"I'm just hungry. I have a fast metabolism." Rose said.

Rose continued to shovel her food, until she noticed that Derek was staring at her.

"What?"

"On your face..." On the corner of her mouth hung a piece of cheese. He motioned towards the spot, but Rose kept missing it with her napkin.

Derek reached over the table with his napkin and attempted to wipe it off, but his elbow bumped the glass of wine onto her lap.

Rose abruptly jumped up in surprise. The liquid began to seep into her clothing, but she knocked her chair into a waiter, who was trying get past at that very moment with a tray full of food. The waiter fell backwards onto the floor, but the tray he carried flew forward all over Rose.

Rose stood there in shock.

"Oh my god. Are you okay? I'm so, so sorry. It's my fault. It's my first day. Please don't yell. I'm sorry. Let me help you clean that up." The Waiter jumped up quickly. He began to picking food off of her.

Derek stood up and used his napkin to wipe food off of her also.

"I'm sorry, sorry, sorry. I'm gonna get fired. Its my first day. I need to pay for school and rent. I'm just so clumsy. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I'm so sorry. Sorry. Sorry..." The Waiter stammered on.

Rose groaned loudly. There were noodles everywhere. They were in her pocket, in her hair, and in her bra. She could even feel them slide downward into her slacks. She was even convinced that there were noodles in her socks. And the marinara sauce would never come out of her new white blouse.

"Let me help you..." The waiter rushed to grabbed a napkin off the table. In his haste he also grabbed a handful of tablecloth, which pulled all the plates, utensils and everything else off the table. Each item hit the floor with a loud crash. Everyone in the restaurant turned to see what the commotion was.

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry. Crap..."

The waiter glanced around. All eyes were on him, watching his every move, staring and scrutinizing. He began to feel light headed and began to shake uncontrollably, his skin flushed and he began to gasp for air. 

Derek grabbed the waiter by the arm and led him to a chair. He crouched down and put his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Breath. Slow, even breaths."

The young man nodded, but continued to shake.

"Breath. Slowly. Breath." He said soothingly.

"What the hell is going on here? Marcus what did you do?" A big man in an expensive suit stomped towards the table.

"Don't yell at him. Let him calm down for a bit." Derek snapped.

"I'm the owner. Who are you?" The man growled.

"I'm a doctor, he's having a panic attack, and a friend of the woman he split the tray on. It was an accident. Just give him a few minutes. My friend isn't mad, right Rose?" Derek said.

"Yeah. Not really." Rose replied unenthusiastically.

The Owner glared at Marcus, then turned to Rose smiling politely. "I'm sorry, about any inconvenience this may have caused. And you can have anything on the menu free of charge. And please, ma'am send us the cleaning bill. "

"Relax." Derek turned back to Marcus. "Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Marcus shook his head. "I can't afford it anyway..."

"Okay. Go outside. Get yourself some air. Relax. The symptoms will subside." Derek pulled a card out of his wallet and handed it to Marcus. "Take this, my card. If the symptoms come back or get worse call me. I'll prescribe something for you. Okay?"

"Thanks..." Marcus nodded. He rose from his chair and headed outside the restaurant as the doctor ordered. The Owner followed.

Derek sat back down and watched Rose. She looked absolutely miserable.

"Well..." Derek began.

"So much for dinner. Let's just go back to my place." Rose interrupted. "I need a shower."

"Okay. Let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer in chapter 1

**Chapter 3**

It was a short drive to the cemetery, which Alex was eternally grateful for. For the most part, the girls had kept their end of the bargain. Lexie had sat in the back seat looking somber as she stared blankly out the window, while Meredith sat in the passenger seat singing loudly and off key to the radio, much to Alex's dismay. He had turned the radio off twice, hoping for some peace, but Meredith quickly flicked it back on, and every time he reached over to turn it off she'd swat his hand away and giggle. The giggling was contagious. Lexie began to giggle and Alex felt a headache coming on, but continued to drive. At least Lexie was now smiling.

Alex shifted the car into park and turned off the ignition. They had finally arrived at Mt. Pleasant, located not to far from Meredith's house.

"I'll wait in the car. Go do what you have to do, but you have 15 minutes. Be back here or I'm coming to get you."

"I knew all those rumor of you being evil were exaggerated." Lexie grinned. She stumbled out of the car, catching herself before she fell and hit the pavement. "I'm okay..."

"I'm not evil, I tell the truth," Alex said. "Also, you have fourteen minutes, fifty seconds..."

"Thanks Alex." Meredith said. "It means a lot to her..."

"You have fourteen minutes left," Alex grinned. "Keep an eye on the lightweight."

Meredith nodded, climbed out of the car, and jogged towards her sister.

"So, how do we get in?" Meredith asked, looking around. The main entrance was a ten foot wrought iron gate and a seven foot brick wall running the perimeter. The landscaping was well maintained, with a currant bushes or a patches of grass every few feet.

"Hurry up. You don't even know where you are going." Lexie stumbled along a few yards ahead of her.

"I think I can climb over," Meredith stated. She jumped up a few times trying to grab the ledge, each time making it no where near the top. She then tried to take a running start, but smacked right into the wall.

Meridith winced in pain. Stars and spots danced in her vision, she shook them off and called to her sister, motioning for her to come closer. "Come here, I think I need a boost."

"Wait, stop that." Lexie said. "Come on, up ahead. There's a chain link fence on the other side with a gap in it. We can get through there."

"Lexie. Why didn't you tell me that earlier?"

"I tried but you weren't listening."

They travel, in silence, a few yards down towards the maintenance entrance. 

"That's odd, it was locked last time I was here. I had to squeezed through the gap in the fence." Lexie said.

"We're lucky then." Meredith grinned.

"Ooohh. I think I need to... " Lexie ran towards one of the bushes and emptied the contents of her stomach. She was feeling nauseous and wanted to go home, but letting Meredith say goodbye to Mom was much more important. 

"Lex, you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm fine. I just need..." Lexie puked again. She was going to tough it out. "... a minute."

Lexie used the back of he hand to wipe her mouth, then joined her sister.

As the two strolled and stumbled through the cemetery, Lexie realized she knew very little about her sister's personal life. All she knew was what she heard around the hospital from the staff, and what little her dad and sister knew. She wanted to know her better. Lexie wanted to know more.

"So tell me five things about you." Lexie spoke. "I mean, I told you about the cat, the etch a sketch, apples, and the trombone. Tell me 5 things about you."

"How do you pick your five things?" Meredith asked.

"Actually they were the first five things to come to mind. Looking back I probably wouldn't have gone with etch a sketch."

"I wouldn't have went with etch a sketch either," Meredith laughed. "Well, that house has been in my family for three generations."

"That's very cool. It's a nice house. Big and roomy. But not too big..."

"I went to Dartmouth and dated the guy in the Keggy costume."

"Keggy?" Lexie questioned.

Meredith continued. "I had a dog name Doc, I had to put him down a few months back."

"I'm sorry to hear that..." Lexie sympathetically put her hand on Meredith's shoulder.

"It's okay he was sick." Meredith smiled sadly. She still missed her dog. "Anyway, in high school I wore a lot of black and had pink hair."

"I was prom queen and valedictorian in high school," Lexie said proudly.

"I wouldn't have been caught dead at the prom and I cut too many classes to be valedictorian." Meredith replied. "My favorite food is peanut butter and jelly, because it's fast and easy to make and doesn't require cooking."

"Okay." Lexie grinned. It wasn't much but it was a start.

"Can I ask you something? Why surgery? Why Seattle Grace?" Meredith asked.

Lexie was about to answer, but a very angry voice hollered at them.

"I thought I told you I didn't want you anywhere near Susan, Meredith!!! You killed her!!!"

"Dad?"


End file.
